Apparatus for automatically and successively opening the bags of powder

ABSTRACT

AN APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY AND SUCCESIVELY OPENING POWDER CONTAINING BAGS. A CONVEYOR IS PROVIDED ON WHICH THE BAG IS TRANSPORTED. CUTTERS ARE POSITIONED ALONG THE CONVEYOR WHICH CUT OPEN USUALLY THREE SIDES OF THE BAG AS IT IS TRANSPORTED BY SAID CONVEYOR. THE CONTENTS OF THE OPENED BAG ARE COLLECTION IN A COLLECTING MEANS POSITIONED BELOW THE END OF THE CONVEYOR, AND A BAG TAKE-UP MEANS TAKES UP THE OPENED BAG AS IT IS UNFOLDED AROUND THE UNCUT SIDE OF THE BAG.

v T 4 0 y 1972 HIROFUMI TAKIGUQHI APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY AND SUGGHSSlVI'ZhY OPENING THE BAGS OF POWDER Filed June 15, 1970 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 HIROI-UMI TAKIGUCIHI,

INVENTOR ATTORNEY 3 6 4 y 1972 HIROFUMI TAKIGUCHI 530 APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY =AND SUCCESSIVELY OPENING THE BAGS OF POWDER Filed June 15, 1970 s Sheets-Sheet 2 HI ROFUMI TAKIGUCHI,

INVENTOR ATTORNEY y 1972 I HIROFUMI TAKIGUCHI 3,664,530

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY AND SUCCESSIVELY OPENING THE BAGS 0F POWDER Filed June 15, 1970 e Sheets-Sheet 5 HIROFUMI 'IIAKIGUCHI INVENTOR ATTORNEY y 1972 HIROFUMI TAKIGUCHI 3,664,530

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY AND SUCCESSIVELY OPENING BAGS OF POWDER Filed June 15, 1970 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 88 FIG] HIROFUMI TAKIGUCHI INVENTOR ATTORNEY May 23, 1972 HlROFUMl TAKIGUCHI 3,664,530

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY AND SUCCESSIVELY OPENING THE BAGS OF POWDER Filed June 15, 1970 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 HIROFUMI TAKIIEGUCHI,

INVENTOR BYIJMM %Z ATTORNEY May 23, 1972 HIROFUMI TAKIGUCHI 3,554,530

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY AND SUCCESSIVELY OPENING THE BAGS OF POWDER Filed June 15, 1970 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 W, 112 so m9 303 10s H61? 196 g2 gas 96 HIROFUMI TAKIGUCHI,

INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,664,530 APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY AND SUC- CESSIVELY OPENING THE BAGS OF POWDER Hirofumi Takiguchi, Osaka, Japan (Z-kumi, 7-chome, Kumagaya-cho Kokura-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan) Filed June 15, 1970, Ser. No. 46,106 Claims priority, application Japan, June 14, 1969, 44/ 56,252; Sept. 3, 1969, 44/70,878, 44/ 84,900;

Oct. 30, 1969, 44/104,940; Nov. 24, 1969, 44/111,541 7 Int. Cl. B651) 67/00 US. Cl. 214-302 27 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention relates to an apparatus for automatically and successively opening the bags of powder, which enables removal of the contents by automatically cutting open three sides of the bags consisting of paper or the like and containing powder or granular substance therein.

There have been many apparatuses for automatically supplying granular substances, such as cement, fertilizer, flour and the like, into merchandising bags and sealing their openings thereafter, but there has scarcely been an apparatus which can automatically perform the operation of removing the contents from the merchandising bags.

The first object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which can automatically open the bags containing powder and discharge the contents therof at the required place.

The second object of the invention is to provide an apparatus capable of automatically separating the bags from the powder and collecting them after cutting them open and discharging the contents therefrom.

The foregoing objects can be attained by the combination and collective operation of each component part constituting the invention, the embodiments whereof will be illustrated by the accompanying drawing and the detailed description set forth hereinunder.

Revisions and modifications in regard to the details of the construction are to be included in the claims appearing hereinafter.

The invention comprises a gear box or housing, a bagreceiving conveyor disposed within the upper part of the gear box for transporting the bag therein, a cutter for cutting open three sides of the bag transported by said conveyor, and a bag collecting device provided on said gear box which is so designed as will collect the bags after they have been cut open by said cutter.

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional plan showing the first embodiment of the apparatus for automatically and succes-- sively opening the powder containing bags according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a lateral view with longitudinal section in part showing the first embodiment of the apparatus for automatically and successively openingthe powder containing bags according to the invention.

FIG. 3 is a partially sectional plan showing the sec- 3,664,530 Patented May 23, 1972 "ice 0nd embodiment of the apparatus for automatically and successively opening the powder containing bags according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a partially sectional plan showing the third embodiment of the apparatus for automatically and successively opening the powder containing bags according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is a partially sectional plan showing the fourth embodiment of the apparatus for automatically and successively opening the powder containing bags according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a partially sectional lateral view showing the fourth embodiment of the apparatus for automatically and successively opening the powder containing bags according to the invention.

FIG. 7 is a partially sectional plan showing the fifth embodiment of the apparatus for automatically and successively opening the powder containing bags according to the invention.

FIG. 8 is a lateral view with longitudinal section in part showing the fifth embodiment of the apparatus for automatically and successively opening the powder containing bags according to the invention.

FIG. 9 is an elevation broken away in part showing the sixth embodiment of the apparatus for automatically successively opening the powder containing bags according to the invention.

FIG. 10 is a lateral view with longitudinal section in part showing the sixth embodiment of the apparatus for automatically and successively opening the powder containing bags according to the invention.

FIG. 11 is a lateral view with longitudinal section in part showing the seventh embodiment of the apparatus for automatically and successively opening the sides of powder containing bags according to the invention.

FIG. 12 is a rear view with longitudinal section in part showing the seventh embodiment of the apparatus for automatically and successively opening the sides of powder containing bags according to the invention.

In the apparatus for automatically and successively opening the sides of powder containing bags shown in FiIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral 11 depicts a gear box or housing, the numeral 12 represents a conveyor provided at the upper part thereof which consists of a pair of rollers 13, 14 revolvably fitted to the gear box 11, and a conveyor belt 15 passed around said rollers 13, 14.

The numeral 16 designates a motor secured to a receiving or supporting member 17 on the outside of the gear box 11, an endless driving chain 20 being passed round a chain wheel or sprocket 18 fixed to the shaft of the motor 16 and another chain wheel 19 at the end shaft of the roller 13'. The conveyor belt 15 is driven in the arrow-indicated direction (FIG. 2) by means of the motor 16 (FIG. 1).

To a supporting framework 21 having its opposite ends fixed to the upper parts of both side walls of the gear box 11, so as to be located above the advanced end of the conveyor 12, a pair of vertical rotary shafts 22,23 are revolvably fitted with appropriate spacings therebetween. An endless driving belt 27 is passed round a pulley fixed to the upper end of the shafts 22 and another pulley 26 fixed to the output shaft of the motor 25 secured on the outside of the gear box 11. A horizontal circular or disc cutter 28 is fixed to the lower end of the shaft 22 being thereby revolved at high speed by means of the motor 25.

An oppositely disposed similar cutter is provided (see FIG. 1) by an endless driving belt 32 which is passed round a pulley 29 fixed to the upper end of the other shaft 23 and another pulley 31 fixed to the shaft of the motor '30. A horizontal circular or disc cutter 33 like cutter 28 is fixed to the lower end of the shaft 23 being thereby revolved at high speed by means of the motor 30.

Furthermore, another supporting frame 34 is fixed to the upper part of the gear box 11 near the bag-intake side, on which a further vertical rotary shaft '35 is removably fitted, with vertical shafts 35 and 22 being in -fore-and-aft alignment with one another. An endless driving belt 37 is passed round a pulley 36 attached to the upper end of said shaft 35 and the aforementioned pulley 26. A horizontal circular cutter 38 is provided at the lower end of the shaft 35 and is thereby revolved also at high speed.

The numeral 39 shows a right angular-shaped guide fixed stationarily inside the side wall of the gear box 11 so as to be located above the conveyor 12 and to encircle and protect the motor 30 in the gear box 11.

The numerals 40, 41 show a pair of conveyor rollers revolvably fitted to a more advanced part of the inside of the housing or gear box 11. A plurality of endless gripping or receiving belts 42 are passed around peripheral grooves formed at regular intervals along the rollers 40, 41, all of which are so arranged that the upper surface of the belts 42 will be substantially on a level with the upper surface of the conveyor belt 15.

The numeral 43 shows a co-acting complementary gripping roller revolvably fitted to the gear box 11 on the upper side of the belts 42. The outer periphery of roller 43 is covered with rubber or the like, and disposed for contact with the upper surfaces of the belts 42.

The shafts of the rollers 40, 41 protrude outside of the gear box 11 and are provided with chain wheels 44 and 45 respectively around which, an endless driving chain 46 is passed. An endless chain 49 is passed around additional chain wheels 47, 48 provided coaxially with said on the outside of the chain wheels 19, 45, respectively (FIG. 1), so that the conveyor belt and the belts 42 will be driven in the same direction.

The numeral 50 shows a brush extending transversely across and having both ends thereof fixed to both side walls of the gear box 11, it being so arranged that part of the bristles or nap hair will protrude upwardly between the belts 42.

A gear 51 is fixed to the opposite end of the shaft of roller 13 where the chain wheel 19 is not fitted. A gear 52 which engages said gear 51 is revolvably fitted on the outside of the side wall of the gear box 11. An endless driving chain is operatively passed around a chain wheel 53 fixed to the outside of the gear 52 and another chain wheel 54 attached at the end of the shaft of the roller 43, so that the roller 43 and the belts 42 will revolve in an opposite direction to each other.

The numeral 56 designates a guide frame consisting of a plurality of guide levers 57 arranged horizontally between the belt 15 and the circular cutter 28 on one hand, and the gripping belts 42 and co-acting roller 43 on the other hand. The frame 56 is mounted on a horizontal supporting lever 58 fixed between the internal sides of the gear box 11. Furthermore, a pair of bilateral arcuate guide springs 59 are arranged between the middle part of the supporting lever 58 and the middle inner part of both side walls of the gear box 11 so as to be substantially at the same height with the guide frame '56. The ends of the springs 59 adjacent to both sidewalls of the gear box are respectively connected to the opposite side walls of said gear box 11, and the other ends of the springs which are located above the supporting lever 58 are left free. On the forward most wall of the gear box 11 beyond the conveyor gripping belts 42, there is provided a bag outlet 60, whereas a collecting hopper 61 is provided between the part below the forward-most end of the belt conveyor 12 and the lower part of the gripping belts 42.

In the first embodiment, when the conveyor 12, circular cutters 28, 33, 38, the belt 42 and the roller 43 are driven by the motors 16, 26, 30, and the powdercontaining bag 62 is placed side-ways on the starting or intake end of the conveyor 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, one side (a) of bag 62 is first cut open by the circular cutter 38 as the bag 62 is carried forward on the conveyor 12.

Then the movement of the bag 62 is arrested because its one end comes in contact with the guide 39, with the result that the bag 62 changes its direction by as indicated by arrow (b) in FIG. 1. The bag 62 thus turned lengthways is carried forward by the conveyor 12 until both opposite sides (0), (d) thereof are cut open by the circular cutters 28, 33 respectively.

The bag 62 with its remaining side (e) uncut is carried forward on the conveyor 12. Then the upper side of the cut-open bag is guided onto the upper part of the guide frame 56 and caught between the co-acting gripping belts 42 and the roller 43, with the lower side of the bag 62 simultaneously proceeding toward the lower part of the guide frame 56 until it hangs down from the front end of the conveyor 12.

Consequently, the powder inside the opened bag drops into the hopper 61 from forward-most or front end of the conveyor 12.

The lower side of the hanging bag 62 is then pulled up by the gripping action applied to the upper side of the bag 62 by the co-action of belts 42 and the roller 43, as a result of which the bag 62 is pulled over the surface of the guide frame 56 and then discharged through bag outlet 60.

The arcuate guide springs 59 are provided to prevent the lower side of the bag 62 from being caught in the guide frame 56 when said lower side of the opened bag 62 is subsequently pulled by the upper side thereof. Therefore, the bag 62 when cut open on three sides thereof is smoothly discharged through the outlet 60 in the form of a long sheet, While the powder contained in the bag 62 is completely discharged into the hopper 61. The empty bag 62 after being discharged is carried to any required part by means of a separate conveyor or the like. The brush 50 acts to remove powder sticking to the inside of the bag 62 as it passes on the belt 42.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the circular cutter 38 and its driving means of the first embodiment are omitted, with the circular cutter 28 being of a larger diameter instead. By this arrangement, one side (a) of the bag 62 is cut open by the circular cutter 28 as said bag 62 revolves responsive to coming in contact with the guide 39. Subsequently both sides (0), (d) of the bag 62 are cut open by the circular cutters 28, 33 after the bag 62 becomes oriented lengthways as a result of its'90 change of direction, just as in the case of the first embodiment. The structure and function of the other parts are identical with those of the first embodiment, and therefore no detailed description will be given here, with indication of the identical parts by means of the identical marks sufficing for the purpose.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 4, no such guides 39 which are common to the first and second embodiments are utilized. Likewise, instead of the circular cutter 28 at the fixed position in the first and second embodiments, a circular cutter 64 is provided at the end of a movable arm 63, whereby the forwardmost end side (a) and the longitudinal side (c) of the bag 62 cut open by said circular cutter 64. The opposite longitudinal side (d) is simultaneously cut open with side (0) by the circular cutter 33, as in the case of the first and second embodiments.

To be more precise, the arm 63 in FIG. 4 is journaled by a bearing 65 inside the side wall of the gear box 11 so as to be horizontally movable about its shaft 66. The numeral 67 designates a motor fixed on the outside of the side wall of the gear box 11, and an endless driving belt is passed around a pulley 68, fixed to the shaft of said motor 67, and one groove of a double pulley 69 revolvably fitted to the foregoing shaft 66. Another endless driving belt 67 is passed around the second groove of double pulley 69 and another pulley 71 fixed to the shaft of a circular cutter 64, said circular cutter 64 being thereby revolved by the motor 67.

It is so arranged that the arm 63 will automatically move from the positon indicated by the solid line to the position indicated by the broken line in FIG. 4 by means of an air cylinder, motor or the like.

In this latter embodiment, when the circular cutter 64 is in the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 4, said circular cutter 64 begins to cut open one side (a) of the bag 62, this cutting operation being continued because the circular cutter 64 moves in the arrow-indicated direction responsive to the bag 62 being advanced upon the conveyor 12. When the circular cutter 64 comes to the position indicated by the broken line in FIG. 4, the arm 63 stops and the lateral sides (d) of the bag 62 are cut open simultaneously by the circular cutters 64, 33 as said bag 62 is carried forward.

When the opened bag 62 has passed between the circular cutters 64, 33, the arm 63 returns to the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 4. The control of the arm 63 is effected by means of a limit switch or the like.

Since the structure and function of the other parts are identical with those of the first and second embodiments, the indication of the identical parts by the identical marks with those in FIGS. 1 and 2 will suffice without any further detailed description.

In the fourth embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the structure of the bag-shifting or reorienting guide is different from that of the first embodiment shown in 'FIGS. 1 and 2. To be more specific, instead of the guide 39, a plurality of guide rollers 73 are revolvably fitted respectively to a plurality of shaft 75 which are perpendicularly fixed in a progressively off-set manner to a mounting plate 74 secured between the upper parts of both side walls of the gear box 11. It is apparent that said rollers 73 are aligned angularly relative to the bag travel path, and are a substitute for the guide 39 shown in FIG. 1.

Furthermore, a pair of bag-gripping rollers 76 which are arranged longitudinally in parallel, are revolvably fitted between the opposed side walls of the gear box 11, said rollers 76 being driven in the same way as in the case of the rollers 43 in FIG. 1. A roller brush 77 which is rotatably driven along With said rollers 76 by a common driving chain, is disposed preferably intermediate and below both of said rollers 76, and a plurality of guide levers 78 are disposed in parallel relation between the rollers 76 and the roller brush 77. Levers 78 are fixed to spaced supporting members 79, 79 installed between the opposed side walls of the gear box 11. The guide levers 78 are arcuately curved at their front and rear ends.

Also relative to the fourth embodiment, the operation or manner of cutting open the three sides (a), '(c) and (d) of the bag 62 by the circular cutters 28, 33, 38 is exactly identical with that of the first embodiment. The opened bag 62 is gripped between the guide levers 78 and the rollers 76 and discharged through the outlet 60.

The fifth embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 is substantially same as the fourth embodiment, with the only difference being in the bag taking or bag gripping mechanism after the bag is cut open.

The bag taking device of the fifth embodiment is substantially same as that of the first embodiment illustrated in FIGS. #1 and 2, said device comprising an upper roller 80 rotatably fitted between both side walls of the gear box 11, a plurality of endless gripping belts 83 which are passed around a corresponding plurality of spaced pairs of pulleys 82 fixed to a pair of parallel shafts or axes 81, and brush 84 located between the belts and intermediate the spaced shafts 81; the bag 62 which is cut open at its three sides by the three circular cutters 38 and, 28, 33, is then gripped by the co-action of roller 80 and the belts 83 to be discharged through the outlet 60.

In this fifth embodiment, the end mounting portions of shaft 86 of a guide frame are revolvably fitted to the opposite side walls of the gear box 11, with a roller 87 being revolvably fitted to the outside of the guide frame 85, and a spring 88 being fitted to the opposed ends of the shaft 86 so as to constantly maintain the guide frame 85 horizontally.

After the bag 62 is cut open at its three sides by the circular cutters 28, 33, 38, it is taken or gripped between the roller 80 and the belts 83 after passing over the roller 87 of the guide frame 85. If resistance arises during this bag taking operation, the roller 87 moves downward together with the guide frame 85, thereby enabling the bag taking operation to continue with smoothness.

Referring next to the sixth embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the bag 62 is cut open by means of first and second cutters, the first being disc or circular cutter 90, which is revolvably or rotatably fitted to a supporting frame 89 and driven by the same type of mechanism as in the case of the circular cutter 33 of the first embodiment, and the second cutter being another circular or disc cutter 93 disposed at the lower end of the rotary shaft 92 protruding from the lower part of a laterally movable member 91 mounted reciprocatably at right angles relative to the proceeding or advancing direction of the conveyor 12. The member 91 is connected to the output shaft of a drive motor 94 which is mounted for transversely reciprocable movements on the end of piston rod 96 movably by a fluid pressure in conjunction with a cylinder 95. Member 91 is thus movable with motor 94 and is guided by said supporting frame 89. The circular cutter 93 is driven by said motor 94.

The supporting frame 89 is shown to comprise a pair of spaced channel members but it is apparent that a similar guiding support could be effected by use of only one such member.

In this sixth embodiment, the circular cutter 93 moves from its initial position shown in solid lines in FIG. 9 in the direction indicated by arrow in FIG. 9 toward the dotted line position, thereby cutting open one side of the bag 62, with the movable member 91 stopping when the circular cutter 93 arrives at the dotted line position which is generally opposite to the first cutter 90. Both sides of the bag 62 are then cut open by the then generally opposed circular cutters 93, 90, with the opened bag 62 then proceeding toward the bag taking device.

The bag taking device consists of a pair of longitudinally arranged upper rollers 97 which coact with a plurality of endless taking or gripping belts passed around a corresponding plurality of aligned pairs of pulleys 99 fixed to a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart lower rotary shafts 98, the driving means thereof being identical with that of the roller 80 and the belts 83 in FIG. 8. Therefore, in the sixth embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the opened bag 62 is gripped or taken in between the roller 97 and the belts 100 and then discharged through the outlet 60.

The cylinder 95 and piston 96 in this embodiment are controlled by a photoelectric element 101 which detects the position of the bag 62 and a projector 102 which projects light to the photoelectric element 101, it being so arranged that the cylinder 95 and the circular cutters 90, 93 will be activated as soon as the bag 62 intercepts the light projected to the element 101, a limit switch or any other arbitrary means being adoptable for this control.

In the seventh embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, the bag 62 is cut open making use of an endless belt or band saw 103. The belt saw 103 is passed around a pair of bilateral pulleys 106 provided respectively on supporting members which are reciprocatably fitted to a pair of bilateral rails 104 fixed to the inside front parts of the opposed side walls of the gear box 11, said supporting members 105 being respectively connected to piston rods 107 of a pair of bilateral hydraulic or air cylinders 112 fixed to the front wall of the gear box 7 11. The components are so arranged that the bilateral pulleys 106 will synchronously reciprocate according to the synchronized reciprocation of the bilateral piston rods 107.

Above the cylinder, a guide plate 108 is fixed to the gear box 11, a plurality of bag taking rollers 109 driven by an appropriate driving means in the direction indizce'ted by arrow being arranged on said guide plate 108. As in the case of the other embodiments, the gear box 11 is provided with a belt conveyor 12, a microswitch 110 and a brush 111 which is slidably fitted to the lower part of the conveyor 12. Either of the pulleys 106 is driven by a motor 113.

In this embodiment, as soon as the bag 62 on the conveyor 12 comes in contact with the microswitch 110, the motor 113 starts to revolve the pulleys 106, the cylinders 112 simultaneously moving the supporting members 106, thereby pushing forth the belt saw 103 to and above the conveyor 12.

The bag 62 carried by the conveyor 12 is horizontally bisected by the belt saw 103, with the result that the upper side of the bag 62 is guided upward along the guide plate 108 and carried toward the outlet 60 under pressure of the gripping or taking rollers 109. At the same time, the lower side of the bag 62 drops downward from the front part of the conveyor 12, the powder being discharged into the hopper 61.

As soon as the rear part of the bag 62 moves on past the microswitch 110, the motor 112 stops, the members 105 being restored to their original positions by the function of the cylinders 112, thereby withdrawing the belt saw 103 from the external edge of the guide plate 108, as a result of which the side (e) of the bag 62 remains uncut and the bag 62 is discharged from the outlet 60 in the form of an elongated sheet or belt.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for automatically and successively opening generally 4-sided sealed bags of granular or powderlike material, which bags have opposed end portions, said apparatus comprising, in combination:

(a) first conveyor means oriented in a single foreand-aft direction and having a major plane with a generally planar conveying surface upon which the bags are successively transported from a rearward bag-receiving portion in a forward direction toward a bag-emptying end portion;

(b) cutter means disposed adjacently above said conveyor means for cutting open three sides of each bag in a generally medial planar area as it is transported by said conveyor means;

(c) a contents-receiving hopper disposed forwardly and generally below said conveyor at the bag emptying end portion thereof to receive the bag contents after three sides have been cut open; and

(d) mechanical bag-taking means disposed above said hopper and at least partially beyond said first conveyor means, which mechanically grips one of said opened-bag-ends and effectively helps empty and simultaneously transports said bag through said apparatus, ejecting said bag when emptied in a substantially one piece fully open and extended elongated belt or sheet-like form.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said cutter means comprise three separate cutters, including a first cutter mounted above and toward the bag-receiving end portion of the conveyor means so as to be engaged by the forward-most advancing side of the bag as it is being transported, thereby cutting open said side responsive to conveyed movement of said bag; the apparatus further including bag reorienting guide means disposed above said conveyor means and in the travel path of one end portion of said bag being conveyed, which guide means changes the relative orientation of said bag upon said conveyor means responsive to engagement thereof by said bag from an initial relatively rectilinear orientation in one given direction to an essentially rotated rectilinear orientation essentially after said one side of the bag has been cut open; and the other two of said three cutters being a pair of cutters arranged bilaterally 0f the conveyor means and disposed beyond said first cutter so as to subsequently engage and cut open both respective opposite sides of said bag transversely adjacent the first cut-open side after the reorientation of said bag by conveyed engagement with said guide means.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said bag reorienting guide means includes a fixed abutment surface including a first portion against which said one end portion of the bag initially engages and effectively pivots thereabout responsive to the conveyed advancing movement of said bag, and a second portion disposed in a position advanced along said conveyor means from said first portion, said second portion acting to limit and maintain said bag in its reoriented position relative to said cutters.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said bag re-orienting guide means includes a plurality of vertically positioned progressively spaced rods oriented in a line disposed in an angular manner relative to the bag travel path, with the first rod which is engageable initially by said one end portion of said bag being disposed furthest of said rods from a center-line of the travel path, and with the rod most remote from said first-mentioned rod being disposed the closest toward said travel path center line and acting to limit and help maintain said bag in its reoriented position relative to said cutters.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said rods halve rotatable anti-friction rollers mounted thereon for engagement 'by said bag to reduce the friction during the reorienting engagement of said rods by said bag.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said cutters are of the rotary disc type, and including means for rotatably driving said disc cutters.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said cutter discs are disposed i generally co-planar relation above and generally parallel with the major convenying plane of said conveyor means.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cutter means comprises two separate cutters including a first cutter mounted above and toward one lateral side of said conveyor to engage and cut open first one side of the bag and subsequently also a transversely adjacent second side thereof responsive to conveyed and reoriented movement of said bag, a second cutter mounted also above said conveyor but toward an opposite side thereof, and disposed to engage and cut open a third bag side constituted by an opposite transversely adjacent side thereof; said apparatus also including bag re-orienting guide means disposed closely above said conveyor means in the travel path of one end portion of said bag being conveyed, which guide means is disposed also generally opposite but slightly preceding said first cutter means so that said guide means helps effect a first reorientation of said bag from an initial orientation in one given direction to an intermediate reorientation shifted horizontally through approximately 45 responsive to said one end portion of the bag engaging said guide means, whereby said one side of the bag is first cut open; said same guide means helping effect a further 45 shifting to complete a substantially 90 fully rotated reorientation of said bag responsive to the conveyor impetus, and said first and second cutters thereby cooperatively effect nearly simultaneous cutting open of said opposed transversely adjacent sides of the bag as it is conveyed between said cutters.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said cutters are of the rotary disc type, and including means for rotatably driving said disc cutters.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cutter means comprise two separate cutters including a first cutter mounted generally at one side for horizontal shiftable movement above and across said conveyor to engage and cut open first the forwardmost advancing side of the bag,

and subsequently also a transversely adjacent side thereof responsive to conveyed movement of said bag in a generally undisturbed initial oriented position upon said conveyor means; and further including a second cutter also disposed above said conveyor means toward a side thereof opposite from the mounting of said first cutter, said second cutter disposed to similarly cut open a third side constituted by the other transversely adjacent side relative to said first-cut side; said cutter means further comprising a horizontally swinging boom having one end pivotally mounted to movably mount said first cutter in said manner generally above and at said one side of the conveyor means, said first cutter being mounted on the opposite end of said boom, which is not pivotally mounted, and means for swinging said boom to position said first cutter in an initial position to commence said first cutting of said one end at a remote corner of the bag, and for subsequently moving said cutter cuttingly across said same end during conveyed movement of said bag to a subsequently temporarily fixed position at the same side as the boom pivotal mounting to efiect the subsequent cutting of said first-mentioned transversely adjacent side of said bag.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said cutters are of the rotary disc type, and including means for rotatably driving said disc cutters.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cutters are of the rotary disc type, and including means for rotatably driving said disc cutters.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cutter means comprise two separate cutters including a firstcutter mounted generally at one side of and above said conveyor means with means for effecting shiftable movement transversely across the travel path of said advancing bag so as to first cut open the forward-most advancing side of said bag and to subsequently cut open also a first transversely adjacent side of the bag responsive to conveyed movement thereof in an undisturbed initially oriented position upon said conveyor means; and further including a second non-shiftable cutter also disposed above said conveyor in a slightly olfset overlapping but generally coplanar manner with said first shittable cutter, and disposed to similarly cut open a third side of the bag constituted by the other transversely adjacent side relative to said first-cut side; said first and second cutters being disposed near generally opposite sides of said conveyor means so as to effect a substantially simultaneous cutting of the opposed bag sides transversely adjacent to the first cut side.

14. Apparatus as defined inclaim 13, wherein said means for efiecting shiftable movement of said first cutter includes extensible shaft means having a projecting shaft end to which said first cutter is operatively mounted, with means for reciprocably extending and retracting said shaft in a direction transverse to the conveyed direction of said bag.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said means for effecting shiftable movement of said first cutter includes a tfluid-pressure-operated cylinder with reciprocable piston and connected piston rod having one end projecting from said cylinder, said first cutter being operativel 7' mounted on said projecting rod end.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said cutters are of the rotary disc type, and including means for rotatably driving said disc cutters.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 13, further including sensing means actuable by predetermined advancing travel of said bag of said conveyor means, said sensing means operative to effect said shifting movement of said first cutter transversely across the travel path of said advancing bag.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein said sensing means includes photoelectric beam projecting and detecting apparatus operatively connected with and to effect the said shifting movement of said first cutter.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cutter means includes horizontally disposed saw means with saw-cutting teeth horizontally movable across the travel path of said advancing bag so as to essentially bisect said bag by cutting open first one side of said bag and subsequently both of the opposed transversely adjacent sides all in the generally medially planar area of said bag responsive to conveyed movement thereof in an undisturbed rectilinearly oriented position on said conveyor means.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said saw means is an endless band or belt type saw and includes means for driving said band saw, and means for reciprocatably mounting said band saw to position said saw in its cutting relation relative to a predetermined advance of said bag and to subsequently retractingly position said saw after cutting open of said opposed sides which are transversely adjacent the first cut-open side, thereby permitting the cut open bag to be taken out in the extended one-piece sheet form.

21. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including cleaning means for cleaning the residue of powder-like material from said opened bags as they pass through said bag-taking means.

22. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said bags have a generally medial horizontal plane, and said bagtaking means comprises generally horizontally disposed bag-receiving guide members disposed above said conveyor surface and having at least some portions thereof for initially engaging the cut-open bag, which portions are disposed generally in a co-planar manner relative to the generally medial plane of the conveyed bag, to thereby further dividingly receive said bag and help elfect emptying of the cut-open bag contents; said bag-taking means further comprising second conveyor means operable in the same direction and in general alignment with but beyond both said first conveyor means and said horizontal guide members, for subsequently conveying said cut-open bag out from the apparatus in the said extended sheet-like form.

23. Apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein said generally horizontally disposed bag-receiving guide members comprise a plurality of laterally spaced rods having major portions extending in the direction of said couveyor means and bag travel, said rod members nearest the approaching cut-open bag having vertically depending arcuate end portions having a radius of curvature to facilitate receiving and helping to divide the upper and lower portion of said cut-open bag.

-24. Apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein said second conveyor means comprises a pair of rotary members coacting with the portions of said rod members ex tending in the direction of conveyor means and bag travel so that said bag is passed between said rod members and said pair of rotary members; and further including cleaning means for cleaning residue of the powderlike material from said opened bags as they pass through said bag-taking means; said cleaning means including rotary brush means having bristles and rotatably coacting with said pair of rotary members and constituting a part of said second conveyor means, said rotary brush disposed so that said bristles rotatably sweep the inside surface of said bag as it passes through said apparatus.

25. Apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein said first and second conveyor means comprise endless belts and means for driving said respective belts; and said second conveyor means also includes at least one roller disposed in co-acting relation to said second conveyor endless belts so as to form a bag-gripping nip therewith by which to grip said cut end of the bag to help efiect its passage through said apparatus.

26. Apparatus as defined in claim 22, wherein said generally horizontally disposed bag-receiving guide members comprise a plurality of laterally spaced rod members having major portions extending in the direction of said conveyor means and bag travel.

27 Apparatus as defined in claim 26, wherein said rod members include two centrally adjacent rod members having corresponding ends respectively diverging toward said bag-receiving portion of the conveyor means in horizontally arcuate fashion and terminating laterally outwardly of said conveyor means near said bag-emptying end portion of said conveyor means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,116,718 1/1964 Krupotich et a1. 214305 3,022,912 2/ 1962 Vincent 2l4305 12 FOREIGN PATENTS 6/1969 Germany 214-306 US. Cl. X.R. 

